Mist filled the air, wrapping the entire valley entrance in a gray-white dream.
Standing on a hill, Louis pulled his cloak tight and watched the cold mist slowly rise ahead. "The mist is thick enough. Release the scent."
"Yes!" A knight swiftly lifted the lid off the stewpot.
A cloud of richly fragrant steam drifted out, carrying the smell of animal fat and meat bones as it spread through the cold mist.
This was no ordinary aroma, but a lure stew specially formulated to appeal to beasts' sense of smell.
According to Silco and the others' earlier experiments, once the bears caught the scent, they would be unable to resist approaching.
Sure enough, before long, heavy footsteps sounded from the distant woods.
"They're here." Lambert tightened his grip on his weapon, his gaze alert.
The first heads to emerge through the mist belonged to several round little creatures-the Two-Headed Bears' cubs.
Like fluffy snowballs, they waddled out on short legs, each sporting two miniature bear faces, one on either side, curiously sniffing the air.
Their wet noses twitched. Clearly drawn by the scent, they still glanced warily around.
Then heavy footsteps sounded from the woods, and the mother bears appeared.
They towered over the cubs, with broad backs and powerful muscles. Their twin heads growled while coldly surveying their surroundings, radiating an imposing presence.
Their thick coats mingled gray-white with pale brown, making them look like giant beasts born from ice and snow.
Their fangs gleamed coldly, and the white breath they exhaled curled like smoke in the mist.
Soon, the entire group emerged one after another. Two-Headed Bears of all sizes crowded together, dozens of them forming what looked like a chaotic but formidable army of beasts.
Some were still tussling and shoving, making low rumbling sounds. Occasionally, a